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As a new small business owner , you’ll certainly be faced with a plethora of tasks. Whether you create a website , market to your customers or manage your accounting—the last task might be the most daunting of them all. It’s easy to imagine why when you think of all of the responsibilities that come with it. I’m here to show you there’s no need to fear. The following guide makes small business accounting easy to understand, regardless of your prior knowledge (or lack thereof). Below, I will walk through the basics of accounting, from opening up a bank account to keeping track of your earnings and expenses to staying organized and more. And even if you do decide to hire an accountant to manage all of this for you, it’s still crucial that you understand the basics yourself. Doing so will allow you to determine how your company can grow and prosper, starting today. What is small business accounting? But first, what is accounting? Accounting is one of the most important elements to running a successful business - on top of being a legal obligation. It can be defined as the process of tracking, measuring, and analyzing your financial information in order to understand the ins and outs of your business - from where your money is going to who has control over it, and other pertinent materials. How to do accounting for your small business Open up a business bank account Keep track of every transaction Create the proper financial statements Set up payroll services Understand taxes Evaluate your business’ success over time Consider hiring a professional Be organized and updated 01. Open up a business bank account After legally registering your business with an official name, this is the next important step. (And if you don't have a business name yet, it's time to set one in place. Consider using the Wix Business Name Generator to help you create yours.) LLCs, partnerships, and corporations are legally required to have a separate bank account for business. On the contrary, sole proprietors are not, but it’s definitely recommended. When you start a business , it’s a smart idea to separate your personal life from your business life. Doing so will allow you to easily keep track of your expenses and income, which will make filing taxes and your other records a clean and easy feat. Following this procedure also enables you to get a business credit card as well as put away money for your tax withholding (more on this below). Before you open a bank account, make sure to do some research about all of the different options. Compare fee structures, savings opportunities, and other factors specific to your type of business . Then finally, check with your most advantageous bank option which documents you’ll be required to present at your initial account opening appointment. This could be anything from your registration documents, to license, business name, and more. 02. Keep track of every transaction In order to keep track of your finances, having a daily record of your transactions is crucial. This is done through a process known as bookkeeping , which is recording your purchases, sales, receipts and payments on a day-to-day basis. While doing so, categorize each transaction into related buckets that are part of the overall income statement and balance sheet for the month. For American-based businesses, the time to record each transaction depends on which accounting method you use: cash or accrual. If you use the cash method , record revenues at the time cash is received and expenses when cash is paid. If you use the accrual method , record revenues when they are earned (even if the cash has yet to be received), and expenses concurrently. Another outcome of bookkeeping is being able to perform a monthly bank reconciliation. This is the process of making sure that everything you’ve recorded in your records as cash in a given month matches your bank statement, and that the total is the same. If not, you will need to adjust them accordingly. Many software solutions are available to help you speed up and partially automate the bookkeeping process, such as Intuit Quickbooks , Expensify , and Xero . Zoom in on your expenses: Out of all the transactions, expenses need specific attention. This is because the IRS requires that you keep a record of your receipts for anything over $75 - although it’s strongly recommended that you hold onto all of your receipts. Applications and websites like Shoeboxed and Wave allow you to organize all of this electronically. When organizing your expenses, place them into particular categories in order to receive the best benefit on tax write-offs and credits. These include meals, entertainment, travel, vehicle, and gifts. Another category is home office, as in if you use a portion of your home as an office, you’ll be able to benefit personally by saving money on utilities, bills and transportation. 03. Create the proper financial statements Bookkeeping will allow you to track your revenues and expenses daily, but it’s only a small part of the entire accounting process. Accounting also involves interpreting those numbers in order to receive investments, grow your business, and have better knowledge of how you’re spending your money. Brace yourself, because you’ll need to prepare financial statements. Financial statements include your balance sheet, income statement (also known as your profit and loss statement), and statement of cash flows: Balance sheet: A balance sheet includes your companies balances at a specific time for assets (ex. patents and machinery), liabilities (ex. loans), and equity (ex. stocks). As you’ll add to each of these components, it’s important that this statement always balances (hence, the name) according to the following equation: Assets - Liabilities = Equity Income statement : This is a summary of your income and losses recorded over a period of time (monthly, quarterly, or annually). It’s commonly presented in two categories: Profit (revenues and gains), and losses (expenses and losses). When you subtract your losses from your profit, you’ll end up with a net income /loss. From this statement, you’ll be able to easily calculate your gross margin, which will enable you to see how much you’re earning after your biggest expenses per product or service. In the equation below, cost of goods sold includes all the expenses directly related to getting your product or service ready for market: Gross Margin = (Total Earnings - Cost of Goods Sold) / Total Earnings Statement of cash flows : Many small businesses run out of cash because they do not properly track it. A cash flow statement enables you to have more control and knowledge over your cash coming in and out by showing how changes from the previous two financial statements affect your cash. In order to create one, you’ll need to split your cash into three buckets: Operating, investing, and financing. It will also need to factor in things such as sunk costs . 04. Set up payroll services If you plan on hiring employees and/or independent contractors (freelancers), you’ll need to establish a plan for paying them a salary, benefits, and withholding the proper taxes. And this is also the case for running a one-person show, as you’ll be the sole independent contractor. To do so, set up a schedule of when payroll will go out, how much you’re paying each person (including yourself), and make sure to file the correct paperwork. In the U.S., for example, most freelancers file form ‘1099s.’ 05. Understand taxes Taxes are financial charges that businesses and individuals must pay to the government to fund public expenditures. A breakdown of some of the most important small business taxes will help you understand this better: Income taxes: For most small businesses, you’ll claim taxes on your personal tax return. This is the case in the U.S. unless you file as a corporation. Corporations are the only business structures which are taxed separately from their owners. So, if you aren’t a corporation, it’s very important for legal reasons that you withhold taxes from your income in order to be able to pay them when required (typically on a quarterly basis). Sales tax : For each item or services you sell, it’s your responsibility to charge your customers the appropriate percent of sales tax based on your place of establishment. Then, you’ll need to keep track of those collections and submit them to the IRS in a timely manner. Import taxes : These are what you will pay if you’re selling goods purchased from other countries. Here’s a helpful tool to calculate import taxes . Overall, tax obligations are highly specific to your business and are a very complex process. To make sure that you’re doing it properly, you can begin by reading up on the many IRS tax topics for small businesses here. Afterwards, you may either file yourself or decide that it’s more beneficial for your time and current tax knowledge to hire a tax accountant to prepare your tax returns for you. 06. Evaluate your business’ success over time With the knowledge of these financial statements and processes relating to your company, you'll be able to have a much more fluid understanding of every component that goes into your business’ performance. While noticing patterns and spikes, you’ll be able to make informed decisions about where you’ll spend your money in the future. For example, if you manage your own online store, a small choice you might make is switching vendors to a less expensive one after seeing how much you’ve been overpaying. A bigger choice is to create financial projections, then base your investments and use of resources like retained earnings off of those goals. All in all, keeping a close eye on your business’ wallet will allow you to lead your organization more efficiently. 07. Consider hiring a professional By getting your feet wet here, you may also decide that you don’t want to go for a fully immersive swim. It could be that your business is growing and doing your own accounting isn’t the most efficient use of your time. Instead, you could hire someone else to do it for you, such as an accountant, bookkeeper, or CPA. A CPA is a certified public accountant who has passed rigorous exams to prove their knowledge of financial statements, taxes, and advisory services. Hiring a helping hand can do wonders for you, from saving you money and time doing taxes, to helping improve your chances of receiving funding and loans from investors and banks. It’s possible to hire someone part time, such as during tax season, or full time to work across all of your needs (chief financial officer, accountant and bookkeeper). Depending on your budget and the complexity of your business, costs and necessities of these will vary. 08. Be organized and updated Whether you decide to hire outside help or not, it’s important that you understand your part in this big responsibility. Even with a hired accountant, you’ll still need to organize your time and resources appropriately. Provide the proper receipts and go over your books regularly. Do so by setting aside an allocated amount of time to tend to this every week or month in order to make it a priority. Also, you’ll need to decide on how you’ll get paid by customers. Do you accept cash, credit cards, or something else? And will you require a payment deadline of two weeks or 30 days, etc.? Stick to an agreement and follow-up on invoices to ensure that payments will be received. Small business accounting software To make your life easier, Wix allows you to create both invoices and price quotes from your website's dashboard so that you can collect payments from your customers in just one click. Alternatively, you can create invoices using Wix’s free invoice generator . These tools will help you keep your finances organized and make it easier when it comes to tax reports and other accounting needs. On top of doing the work, stay updated on the constantly evolving financial trends and laws that will affect your business. You can check authorized, government websites like the IRS for this information. Overall, with these steps you’ll certainly be prepared to take ownership over your accounting needs. After all, you’ve already set up your own business, which means that you are both motivated and capable of doing so much more. Explore accounting website templates to get started. By Jennifer Kaplan Community Writer

Every great business starts with a plan. It’s your roadmap to success that helps turn ideas into action, secure funding and stay ahead of the competition. Writing one doesn’t have to be complicated—think of it as telling your business story in a way that excites investors and keeps you focused. A clear template makes it easier, guiding you through key sections like market research, financial projections and growth strategies. Pair it with a strong business website  to share your vision, attract clients and build trust. Ready to bring your business idea to life? Here’s how to break it down in seven simple steps. Ready to launch your business? Create a website today. What is a business plan? A business plan is used by small business owners and entrepreneurs when starting a new business venture. It’s a strategic document that outlines the goals, objectives and strategies of your new or expanding business, including the company's vision, target market, financial projections and operational plans. A business plan can attract potential partners, convince investors and banks to help you raise capital, and serve as a resource for future growth. Most importantly, you’ll be able to use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, operate and manage your new venture, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, a partnership or something larger. Who needs a business plan? Every business owner needs a business plan. They’re an essential tool for any person or entity interested in starting a business . There are many benefits, including: Defining your business idea Clarifying the market and competitive landscape Outlining your marketing strategy Stating your value proposition Identifying/anticipating potential risks Seeking investments from banks and other sources Setting benchmarks, goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) A business plan also gives you a way to assess the viability of a business before investing too much time or money into it. While all business involves risk, taking the time to create a plan can help mitigate fallout and avoid potentially costly mistakes. When creating a business plan, it's important to establish your business goals up front and be prepared to spend time researching the market, performing a competitor analysis and understanding your target market . How to write a business plan in 7 steps In terms of types of business plans , there are two main formats to choose from: traditional and lean. Here we'll rundown the most traditional plan first, while touching on how to write a more lean business plan for a startup. A traditional business plan includes every detail and component that defines a business and contributes to its success. It's typically a sizable document of about 30 to 50 pages. Here are the steps to creating one. Executive summary Company description Market analysis Organization and management Service or product line Marketing and sales strategies Financial projections and funding requests 01. Executive summary Your executive summary should contain a high-level overview of everything included in the plan. It generally provides a short explanation of your business and its goals (e.g., your elevator pitch ). Many authors like to write this section last after fleshing out the sections below. 02. Company description A company description should include essential details like your business name, the names of your founders, your locations and your company’s mission statement . Briefly describe your core services (or products if you’re writing an eCommerce business plan ), but don't go into too much detail since you’ll elaborate on this in the service/product section. Wix offers some helpful mission statement examples if you get stuck. It’s also a good idea to create a vision statement . While your mission statement clarifies your company’s purpose, a vision statement outlines what you want your company to achieve over time. 03. Market analysis One of the most extensive sections of the business plan, this section requires that you conduct market research and write your conclusions. Include findings for the following: industry background, a SWOT analysis , barriers/obstacles, target market and your business differentiators. 04. Organization and management This is where you outline how your business is structured and who's in charge, including founders, executive team members, board members, employees and key stakeholders. To this end, it can be helpful to create a visual layout (e.g., org chart) to illustrate your company structure. 05. Service or product line Create a detailed list of your current and future products and services. If you’re still working on your idea, create a concept statement to describe your idea or product. You should also include a proof of concept (POC), which demonstrates the feasibility of your idea. Wherever applicable, include diagrams, product images and other visual components to illustrate the product life cycle. 06. Marketing and sales strategies Detail how your business idea translates into selling and delivering your offerings to potential customers. You can start by outlining your brand identity, which includes the colors and fonts you plan to use, your marketing and advertising strategy, and details about planned consumer touchpoints (like your website, mobile app or physical storefront). 07. Financial projections and funding requests Include financial statements, such as a balance sheet, profit-and-loss statement (P&L), cash flow statement and break-even analysis. It's not uncommon for a business plan to include multiple pages of financial projections and information. You’ll also want to mention how much funding you seek and what you plan to do with it. If you’ve already secured funding, provide details about your investments. Lean startup business plan format A lean startup business plan—also referred to as a “lean canvas”—is presented as a problem/solution framework that provides a high-level description of your business idea. A lean plan is a single-page document that provides a basic overview of the most essential aspects of your business. It’s a good way to dip a toe into business planning since it doesn't require the same level of detail as a traditional plan. This includes: Problem: What problem does your product or service solve, or what need does it fulfill? Solution: How do you intend to solve it? Unique value proposition (UVP): Why should people use your product or service versus someone else’s? Unfair advantage: What do you have that other companies don’t? Customers: Who are your ideal customers? Channels: How will those customers find you? Key metrics: How do you define success? How will you track and measure it? Revenue streams: How will your business make money? Cost structure: What will you spend money on (fixed and variable costs)? Sample business plan for a small business Want to see what a business plan should look like? We've put together this sample plan, for a beauty business to show you. Executive summary Our beauty studio, aims to establish a luxury beauty salon in a prime location, offering a range of premium beauty services and products to cater to upscale clientele. With a focus on exceptional customer service, professional expertise and a relaxing atmosphere, ABC Beauty Studio seeks to become a top destination for people seeking high-quality treatments and personalized care. Company description Our beauty studio will be a full-service salon offering a variety of beauty services, including skincare treatments, hair styling, makeup services and nail care. Our team of experienced beauty professionals will provide customized solutions to meet each client's unique needs and preferences. The salon will feature a modern and elegant design to create a luxurious and tranquil environment for clients to relax and rejuvenate. Market analysis The beauty industry is a thriving market with a growing demand for quality beauty services and products. The target market for our beauty studio includes affluent individuals who value premium beauty experiences and are willing to invest in high-end treatments. The salon's strategic location in a busy shopping district with high foot traffic and visibility will help attract a steady flow of clientele. Organization and management ABC Beauty Studio will be led by a team of seasoned beauty professionals with expertise in various areas of the industry, including skincare, haircare, makeup, and business management. The management team will focus on delivering exceptional service, fostering a positive work culture, and implementing effective operational strategies to ensure the salon's success. Service or product line Our service line will include facial treatments, haircuts and styling, bridal makeup, manicures and pedicures, waxing services and retail products from top beauty brands. We will also offer personalized beauty consultations to help clients create customized beauty routines and achieve their desired look. Marketing and sales strategies Our beauty studio will implement a multi-faceted marketing approach, including social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, local advertising and promotional events to build brand awareness and attract new clients. We'll also focus on building customer loyalty through loyalty programs, referral incentives, and exclusive promotions. Financial projections and funding requests Initial funding of $200,000 is sought to cover start-up costs, including leasehold improvements, equipment purchases, inventory, marketing expenses, and working capital. Financial projections indicate a steady revenue growth over the first three years, with a focus on achieving profitability by the end of year 2. Sales are forecasted to increase through the expansion of services, repeat business, and targeted marketing initiatives. Continued funding may be required for future growth and expansion plans, including additional locations and service offerings. Download Wix’s free business plan template Creating a successful business plan is no easy feat. That’s why we’ve put together a simple, customizable, and free-to-download business plan template that takes the guesswork out of getting started. Use it to create a new business plan or to refresh an existing one. What are the main benefits of writing a business plan? Writing a business plan offers a range of benefits that can significantly impact the success and sustainability of a business. Here are the main advantages of creating a well-thought-out one: Clarity and focus: A business plan helps clarify your company's mission, vision, goals, and strategies, providing a clear roadmap for your business's direction and focus. This can be what takes your business idea from just an idea, to an actual business so it's important. Strategic planning : It enables the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis), allowing for informed decision-making, effective resource allocation and proactive risk management. When running a business, the more prepared you are for any eventuality, the more successful you're likely to be long term — a business plan helps you plot the potential risks or downturns. Goal setting: Writing a business plan helps set measurable objectives, timelines, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and evaluate the business's performance against targets. Communication and alignment: A business plan serves as a communication tool to share the company's vision, objectives, and strategies with stakeholders, employees, investors and partners, ensuring alignment and shared understanding. Attracting funding and investment : Investors, lenders and potential partners often require a detailed business plan to assess the viability, potential return on investment, and growth prospects of the business. Continuous improvement: Regularly reviewing and updating the business plan facilitates ongoing evaluation, adjustment and improvement of strategies, operations, and goals to adapt to changing market conditions and drive long-term success. Tips for filling out your business plan The hardest part of a journey is always the first step, or so the saying goes. Filling out your business plan can be daunting, using a template helps and we would always recommend doing that. Remember also, these are best practices—they’re not rules. Do what works for you. The main thing to remember is that these tips can help you move more easily through the planning process, so that you can advance onto the next (exciting) step, which is launching your business. Consider your goals What's the purpose of your business? Are you looking to expand, launch a new product line or fund a specific project? Identifying your goals helps you prioritize important information in your business plan. Fill out what you can You may already have a vague—or specific—idea of what you want your business to achieve. Go through each section of the template and fill out what you can. We suggest leaving the executive summary blank for now, since it'll be the last thing you write. At the same time be realistic, even though this document is meant to serve as a marketing tool for potential investors, don't exaggerate any numbers or make any false promises. Dig into the research Nothing's more motivating than getting some intel about your competitors and your market. If you're truly stuck, a little research can help motivate you and provide valuable insight about what direction to take your business. For example, if you plan to start a landscaping business, learn about the specific pricing offered in your area so that you can differentiate your services and potentially offer better options. Get help from others Bouncing your ideas off a friend, mentor or advisor is a great way to get feedback and discover approaches or products to incorporate into your plan. Your network can also give you valuable insight about the industry or even about potential customers. Plus, it's nice to be able to talk through the challenges with someone who understands you and your vision. Revise and review your business plan Once complete, step back from your plan and let it "cook." In a day or two, review your plan and make sure that everything is current. Have other people review it too, since having another set of eyes can help identify areas that may be lacking detail or need further explanation. Once you’ve completed your business plan template, it can become a meaningful resource for developing your mission statement, writing business proposals and planning how to move forward with the marketing, distribution and growth of your products and services. After launch, you can also analyze your value chain to identify key factors that create value for your customers and maximum profitability for you. This can help you develop a more effective business plan that considers the entire value chain, from research and development to sales and customer support. Pro tip:   If you're opening an online store, your free eCommerce hosting  on Wix  is automatically set up when you publish your site—no installation needed—and supports successful online stores of every size. Business plan template FAQ What is the easiest way to write a business plan? The easiest way to write a business plan is to utilize a template. Templates provide a structured format and guide you through each section, simplifying the process of creating a comprehensive plan. How long should a business plan be? A business plan should cover the essentials but stay concise to keep readers interested. For small businesses and startups, 10-15 pages usually do the trick, while more complex ventures might need 20-30 pages. Is there a template for how to write a business plan? Yes. Use Wix’s free business plan template and simply fill in the blanks to customize it to your unique needs. Wix’s business plan template includes seven essential sections, such as an executive summary, market analysis, financial projects and more. What are the 7 essential parts of a business plan? Executive summary Company description Market analysis Organization and management Service or product line Marketing and sales Financial projections and funding requests Who can help me write a business plan? Get help with your business plan from small business consultants, professional writers or groups like the SBA and SCORE mentors. Business coaches and accountants can also guide you, especially with financial planning. Prefer a DIY approach? Templates and AI tools make it easier to cover all the key sections.

The perfect domain is just a click away: claim your domain →   Your domain name might start out as a web address—however, for any recognizable or growing brand, it’s so much more. It’s what many customers notice first when they visit your site, and often plays a big role in helping people identify your brand. When your domain name starts feeling like the face of your brand, it might be time to apply for a federal trademark. Here’s everything you should know before you begin the application process. Ready to buy a website domain ? Do it with Wix.  What is a trademark? A trademark is a unique identifier  that distinguishes your business from others. For instance, a trademark can be your brand or domain name, slogan, logo or a combination of these elements that customers associate with your products or services. Regardless of what you trademark, the purpose is the same: to protect your brand from infringement, discourage imitation and minimize confusion among your customers. When you start using a unique identifier to conduct business, you automatically gain some trademark rights—known as common law rights. However, these rights are limited to your geographic area, whereas a trademark registered through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) applies nationwide.  Why should you trademark a domain name? Federal trademarks registered through the USPTO offer several advantages, including the following.  Protection against brand infringement You reserve your web address  when you purchase it through an accredited domain name registrar like Wix, but trademark law takes this further by preventing the use of similar-sounding names or variations that could mislead the public. This protection is especially crucial online, where small changes like hyphens or misspellings can divert traffic from your website.  For example, if you register a trademark for your brand and domain name “KidCrafts.com,” a competitor wouldn’t be able to sell similar products on a domain that mimics yours—like “KidKrafts.com”—since it would likely confuse visitors looking for your brand. Under common law rights, you’d typically need to prove that your brand is strongly recognized in the market if you want to claim the domain name—something that may leave you and your business much more open to legal disputes. Need help picking a domain name? Use a domain name generator  to find something perfect for your business that is available. Already have an idea? Check the availability with a  domain name search  tool. Exclusive rights to your chosen name A trademark gives you the right to use your domain name across all mediums where it appears to the public (online or offline), such as:  Product packaging  Marketing materials Social media Business cards Physical locations Still, keep in mind that being a trademark owner doesn’t give you exclusive rights to a name or phrase—it means you can use it only in connection with the goods or services you offer.  Stronger legal recourse A federal trademark registration automatically expands your legal options  if someone infringes on your brand, including the following: The ability to pursue legal action in federal court Support from U.S. customs officials to block counterfeit imports Clear evidence of your rights nationwide An official registration typically makes it easier (and less expensive) to resolve disputes than relying on common rights alone. Plus, having a registered trademark allows you to use the “®” symbol next to your name, often preventing problems before they start.  Increased market value for your business Partners, investors and buyers may look at your online business more favorably if it has a trademark. It signals that you’ve taken steps to protect your domain’s long-term value and have exclusive rights to use the name in your market, which only becomes more valuable as your brand grows.  Should you decide to expand your business or eventually sell it, a registered trademark often shows that you’ve built something worth protecting (and investing in). When should you trademark your domain name? Not every domain name qualifies for a federal trademark—and not every website necessarily needs one. However, trademarking your domain name usually makes sense if it’s distinctive and susceptible to infringement, provided the name meets the USPTO’s criteria. Here are various events that might signal it’s time to register a trademark for your domain name.  When you first create your LLC Many websites trademark their brand names after they launch a limited liability company (LLC) or other formal business structure. At this stage, you’re committing to your company’s development and brand identity, which makes this an ideal time to secure trademark protection.  For instance, let’s say you just set up an online store  to sell handmade mugs and accessories. You already have a unique domain name that resonates with customers, and now you’re ready to build your presence online and in local markets. Trademarking the name ensures that as your business grows, no one else can use it to sell similar products.  Even if you’re not actively selling anything yet, you can file an “intent to use” application to reserve your trademark rights early. Once you receive your Notice of Allowance from the USPTO, you’ll have six months to either begin using the trademark in commerce or file for a six-month extension. Applicants are allowed to file up to five of these six-month extensions (for a total of 36 months) before they need to submit a new intent to use. In basic terms, this means you have up to three years to use your trademark in commerce or risk losing its protections. Related reading: Domain definition and how much does a domain name cost ? When you start your marketing efforts Once you start investing in marketing and awareness campaigns, your brand becomes more visible to the public—and potentially more vulnerable to copycats. Competitors might try to steal your customers by using similar names, slogans or branding tactics.  A trademark helps prevent this situation, since you secure the rights to the name (or other branding elements you specify) before you make major investments. That way, your marketing strategies  can strengthen your business instead of making it a target for imitators.  When you enter new markets While common law trademark rights may provide some level of protection within your local area, they don’t automatically extend to other states or regions.  As your business grows, you might encounter competitors with similar names already operating in your new market. Even worse, you may find out you can’t use your unregistered brand name because someone else has already claimed trademark rights there.  As a result, if you think there’s a chance you’ll expand in the future, you may benefit from applying for a registered trademark sooner to have nationwide protection when the time comes. When your brand recognition takes off The more your brand resonates with customers, the more valuable your domain name becomes as a business asset. In turn, successful domain names generally attract imitators looking to profit from your growing recognition.  Filing for trademark protection during significant growth phases helps protect your brand’s future—especially if you’ve become an overnight success and need to move quickly to protect your new market presence.  Related reading: Follow up on the most popular domains  or check out the most expensive domains . When you launch a new product or service If you start selling a new product or service, your domain name doesn’t just represent your business, but also your specific offering in the marketplace. As consumers begin to associate your new offering with your domain, you want to ensure that no one undermines your position as the source. This is especially true for established brands that decide to create a new website. Since your customers are likely already loyal to your business, having an un-trademarked domain name similar to other existing domains may confuse your customer base. Since a trademark gives you exclusive rights to the name, you can prevent competitors from using similar branding that makes knock-off products look like yours. When you begin licensing While licensing your brand opens up new revenue streams, it also creates complex intellectual property challenges. Without trademark protection, you’ll have limited legal authority to control how others use your domain name and brand assets.  If you have a trademark before entering licensing discussions, however, you automatically have a stronger position to negotiate terms without as much risk of infringement. This is because you can demonstrate that you alone have the rights to the product or service in question, whereas an unregistered trademark might be easier to challenge.  When you face imitators or infringement You should ideally have a trademark in place before someone else uses your domain name or intellectual property, but if these issues arise, it’s important to act right away. Keep in mind that even a pending trademark application may help establish your rights and prove how long you’ve been using the trademarked name or asset—proof that’s essential if a dispute ends up in court. It additionally signals to imitators that you’re serious about protecting your brand, which may deter further infringement while your application processes.  Read more: How to choose a domain name and How to register a domain name How to trademark your domain name in 5 steps If you decide to trademark your domain name, you can complete the application through the USPTO, work with an attorney or use a trademark registration service  like LegalZoom. Here’s how to get started:  Check if your domain name is eligible Conduct a trademark search Prepare and file your trademark application Wait for approval and next steps Monitor and maintain your trademark 01. Check if your domain name is eligible Typically, commercial domain names qualify for trademark protection if they serve as brand identifiers, not just web addresses. While trademarking the domain name that represents your brand (e.g., “Amazon.com”) is a good first step, it’s generally best to trademark whatever identifier(s) customers associate with your products or services too. With Nike, for example, trademarks protect not only the name itself, but also the iconic swoosh logo, slogans like “Just Do It” and other commonly-recognized identifiers. In another instance, if your brand name is “Susie’s Vivid Green Vases,” but you use an abbreviation for the web address, you might consider trademarking the full name since that’s a more accurate representation of your brand. However, if your domain is both a business name and an identical web address, then it usually shouldn't make a difference. Additionally, your trademark application must meet the USPTO’s criteria to receive approval. Here are some general requirements to keep in mind:  Source identifier: The trademark must clearly connect your goods or services to your business. Distinctiveness: Generic terms (e.g., “online shoe store”) can’t be trademarked, whereas unique marks (e.g., “Xerox”) typically receive stronger protection. This is different for seemingly basic terms, like “Apple,” that are not generic to the industry they represent; because “Apple” doesn’t relate to computers or software, it’s seen as a distinct name for the purpose of trademarks. Commercial use: You must actively use the trademark in commerce (either for products or services) or have a genuine intent to use it.  If you plan on applying for a trademark yourself, you can refer to the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure  (TMEP) for a full list of requirements or check WHOIS . 02. Conduct a trademark search If your chosen name conflicts with trademarks already registered with the USPTO, your application will most likely get rejected. As a result, it’s strongly recommended to search for pending and existing trademarks before submitting your application.  The USPTO’s Trademark Search System  lets you check for similar names that might block your application. In addition to their official guide (click on “Help”), you can try out the following strategies to guide your search:  Look for different spellings, plurals and similar-sounding names. Say the results out loud, since similar pronunciations (e.g., “excel” vs. “X-cell”) can constitute infringement. Check design marks if your domain includes graphic elements (only applies for businesses who want to trademark multiple brand assets beyond a domain name, such as Apple’s signature apple icon). While TEAS is free to use, you’ll need to spend some time reviewing the parameters and business classifications to conduct an effective search. Then, it’s a good idea to perform a comprehensive trademark search  for state trademark registrations and other identifiers that may be protected under common law. 03. Prepare and file your trademark application In addition to the trademark search, LegalZoom can handle your entire trademark application with the USPTO. You’ll also get matched with a trademark attorney who will guide you through the process, and there’s no charge for a new application if your first one gets rejected.  If you decide to file your application by yourself, here’s an overview of what you’ll need to prepare:  Drawing format:  Choose between standard character (text only) or special form (includes design elements). Classification:  Select appropriate categories pertaining to your trademark from the USPTO’s Trademark ID Manual . Filing basis:  Specify either “use in commerce” or “intent to use” (unless you’re filing a foreign application). Application type:  Pick TEAS Plus ($250 per class, uses pre-approved descriptions) or TEAS Standard ($350 per class, allows custom descriptions). You’ll also need to gather evidence of how you’re using your domain as a trademark, such as screenshots showing it on your website, products or marketing materials. 04. Wait for approval and next steps After filing, expect to wait several months for the USPTO to review your application. You can check current processing timelines  on the USPTO website to get a better estimate for your application.  If the examining attorney finds any issues with your application, they might issue a notice via an “office action.” This outlines specific problems that you’ll need to address, and you have a limited time frame to respond and correct these issues.  Once your application clears review (or after successfully addressing any office actions), the USPTO will publish your trademark in the “ Official Gazette .” Then, other parties have 30 days to contest your trademark. If no one opposes your trademark (or you successfully defend against their oppositions), the USPTO will officially register your trademark.  At this point, you can start using the ® symbol with your trademarked domain name. However, if you filed based on intent to use, you’ll need to submit a Statement of Use and prove that you’ve started using the trademark in commerce to make it official.  05. Monitor and maintain your trademark A registered trademark can last indefinitely as long as you maintain and continue using it in commerce. This means filing all required maintenance documents, paying fees on time and actively monitoring for trademark infringement.  While you can track potential infringement yourself, LegalZoom’s trademark monitoring can automatically notify you of possible conflicts. That way, you can focus less on always staying alert and more on building your brand image for years to come.  Trademark a domain name FAQ Do trademarks work internationally? Trademarks registered with the USPTO only work within the U.S. However, you can typically extend protection to other countries through the Madrid Protocol , which allows you to file a single application for international trademark registration in several countries.  What can happen if you don’t have a trademark? Sometimes, nothing at all. However, without a registration, you’ll need to prove your rights if someone contests your domain name ownership or brand, which can be costly and time-consuming. You might also have limited options if someone starts using a similar name in different U.S. states (whether as a physical business or an internet corporation). How much does it cost to trademark a domain name? The cost of trademarking your domain name depends on your filing method. TEAS Plus costs $250 per class of goods or services, while TEAS Standard costs $350 per class. If your domain name represents multiple types, you’ll need to pay for each class. What is the difference between a trademark and a copyright? Trademarks protect brand identifiers like names or slogans that distinguish your business. Copyrights  protect creative and original works like writing, music and artwork. From another perspective, your domain name would need trademark protection, while your website’s content would fall under copyright law. What are top-level domains? Top-level  domain extensions  are one of the highest levels in the web’s hierarchical Domain Name System (DNS) . The most popular example of a TLD is .com , which is intended for commercial entities in the United States (hence .com). Other popular TLDs include .info , .org , . co , .net , .edu, .biz  .gov, .tv and country-specific extensions such as .mx , .ch,   .de , .be , .nl . or . co.uk . Can trademarking a domain name affect my business email? Yes, trademarking your domain name plays a crucial role in how to create a business email that reflects your brand identity. It ensures that the emails you generate (e.g., contact@yourdomain.com) are part of a legally protected and trustworthy brand. This safeguard prevents others from using a domain similar to yours, which helps maintain consistency and enhances credibility. By protecting your domain, you can confidently explore professional email name ideas to reinforce your brand in all communications.

Go to a McDonald’s in Montreal, and you’ll see poutine on the menu. Go to one in India, and you can order Chicken Maharaja, a beef-free version of the Big Mac. Similarly, Starbucks sells green tea frappuccinos in China and dulce de leche lattes in Argentina. These are classic examples of glocal marketing, a marketing strategy used by international brands to adapt their marketing for the local cultures they do business with. The internet takes glocal marketing to another level. Today, companies can reach customers all over the world, without building physical locations in the vein of Mcdonald’s and Starbucks. We’re no longer limited to our surroundings. Here at Wix, we operate in 190 countries, so it’s critical for us to maintain brand cohesion across these vastly different cultures, while also speaking their languages. For instance, in German, Wix means something rather… raunchy… check out how we leaned into the cultural context to successfully make waves in the Deutsche market. You don't have to be McDonald's to implement glocal marketing. Now is a great time for businesses to increase their global reach, too. Keep reading to learn how to translate your company's success to other parts of the world. Learn more: Small business marketing , Affiliate marketing But first, what does glocal mean in marketing? Let’s take a step back and define glocal marketing. Glocal marketing and localized marketing ( localization ) can be used interchangeably to mean essentially the same thing: modifying campaigns according to the cultural needs of specific global audiences. The term “localized marketing” is more commonly used, but as more and more businesses are starting to think globally, the term “glocal marketing” has become increasingly popular as a type of marketing and term. Be careful not to confuse “localized” marketing with “local” marketing, which is a marketing strategy based on a given radius of the physical location(s) of a business. Local marketing is isn’t based in cultural contexts, merely vicinity. Is a glocal marketing plan right for you? Glocal marketing isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a reminder to companies that do business internationally that it takes in-depth understanding and a thoughtfully realized localization strategy to ensure your brand resonates with global audiences. Agencies and freelancers can tap into the potential for global growth with the following uniquely “glocal”—rather than just global—marketing best practices. How to get started with glocal marketing? Invest in local research and data Remember glocalization isn't just about language Gain glocal visibility with international SEO Structure your team for quality assurance 01. Invest in local research and data Use data to inform every step of your glocal marketing process The more research you invest in upfront to drive insights, the more impactful your marketing will be. Which countries should you target? In your SEO tool, analyze which countries drive the most traffic to your site already, and look at the language report in Google Analytics, or Wix Analytics , to determine the languages most popularly spoken by your users. Once you’ve settled on a new country or set of countries, consider partnering with a localization company for an audit of each market. Initial research should include buyer behavior reports, market size and technology assessments. Not only do you need to know the local language and currency, but you’ll need to understand customer behaviors and expectations, cultural norms and nuances, and technology and marketing trends. 02. Remember glocalization isn’t just about language Perhaps one of the biggest setbacks to global businesses is the mistaken belief that localization is simply a matter of translating content. Glocal marketing isn’t just about language; it’s about culture, and each culture contains its own set of established norms and preferences. For example, when translating videos, different cultures have their own preferred modes of media formatting—subtitles versus dubbing versus voiceover, as the localization experts at Nimdzi point out. As you adapt to the needs of local audiences, you’ll need to make sure your branding translates, both literally and figuratively. More obvious adaptations include updates to imagery and translation of your positioning of text, but with customer experience more emphasized than ever, you may need to evolve your offerings and your processes to suit the needs of your global audiences. To do so hire employees from the countries you’re targeting, as these nuances would prove very difficult for an outsider to identify. As you glocalize your customer's experience for different markets, consider modifying the following, depending on the needs of your local audiences: Tone of voice and other nuances in your messaging Technology and project management software preferences Social media platforms and strategies Online checkout experience Billing processes Customer service experience The takeaway: Be willing to be flexible, but make sure your brand doesn’t get lost in translation. Empower your local marketing and delivery teams to act independently but within the context of your brand architecture and core values. Don’t bend your brand so much that it loses its identity. While you adapt to the needs of your local audiences, your customer experience should still reflect who you are as a company. 03. Gain glocal visibility with international SEO International SEO is a set of best practices for improving your search visibility in other countries or among people who speak different languages. By optimizing your content for international SEO with certain signals on your site, you can ensure users around the world see your content. Three steps for implementing international SEO: Determine what international content you’ll provide: Will you provide an alternate site experience translated for the user’s language, or will you send them to a specific URL based on the user’s country of choice? Wix Multillingual bakes the full power of advanced translation directly into your website.. Set up an SEO-friendly URL structure: Your URL structure helps Google determine which website pages to show users in different countries, a very important part of glocalizing your content. You can either set up a whole website for each country you’re targeting or add a subdirectory structure on your existing site. Here’s a guide for optimizing your SEO settings for multilingual sites . Implementing other geotargeting signals: Optimize your content for other international user preferences, such as devices and other popular global search engines such as Baidu in China. You can also set up a converter on your site to display prices in the viewer's local currency. Addresses and phone numbers for local offices, if you have them, can also help with rankings. 04. Structure your team for quality assurance In order to ensure quality glocal marketing practices, it’s important to have the right team in place, whether you’re using internal or external resources or a combination of both. This will humanize your glocal marketing content. Global businesses have a growing number of robust localization technologies to choose from these days, which are useful for translating content. For example, neural machine translation (NMT) uses an artificial neural network to translate up to tens of thousands of words in minutes, and automated speech recognition software can produce a same-language text script of audio and video files rapidly. But remember, machines have their limitations. A human touch is necessary to ensure your brand’s messaging, positioning and customer experience meet the needs of local markets. In particular, hire a fluent language specialist to conduct quality control on all translated content to ensure your brand and longtail keywords don’t get lost in translation, which can be detrimental to your international SEO rankings and reader trust. Human QA personnel will ensure: Tone and style are on-brand and speak to local cultural preferences Your translated content doesn’t leave out relevant SEO keywords tailored to your target market The challenges of glocal marketing Glocal marketing is a powerful strategy, but it comes with unique challenges. The biggest hurdle? Striking the right balance between maintaining global brand consistency and adapting to local markets. Brands need to ensure their messaging, design and identity are instantly recognizable worldwide, while still tailoring elements to connect with local audiences.  McDonald’s is a great example—they keep their core branding intact but introduce local menu items like the McArabia in the Middle East. For many brands, finding this balance takes careful planning to avoid weakening their global image or missing the mark with local customers. Cultural differences add another layer of complexity. What works in one region might not translate well—or could even offend—in another. Avoiding these missteps requires cultural sensitivity and thorough research. Glocal marketing also demands significant investment. Success often depends on hiring local experts to guide campaigns, which adds time and operational costs.

As a small business owner, you might find it challenging to build deeper relationships with customers. This feeling is fairly common among entrepreneurs, and it becomes even more pervasive as your business grows. Once you create a website and develop your marketing strategy, you’ll find that an increasing number of people are interested in your products or services. Suddenly, you’re hit with such a wide range of customers that you can no longer keep track of them with a simple spreadsheet or email list, much less recognize their names. This is where CRM systems come into play. Specifically designed to help you manage and get to know your customers, these digital tools help you attract and retain clients while supporting your company’s growth. In this article, you’ll learn what a CRM is, what its benefits are, and which kind of CRM tool is best for your business. What is CRM software and how does it work? CRM stands for customer relationship management. Traditionally, this refers to an approach to managing relationships with customers that uses data analysis about customer preferences and behavior to provide deeper information about buyers and leads. However, as this approach has become more widespread, the acronym CRM has come to refer not just to the method, but also to the digital tools and software used to carry it out. A CRM is a critical small business marketing asset. It stores data about current and potential customers, analyzes past customer interactions, and facilitates communication between clients and company representatives. Using this digital tool is important for many reasons. For one, information about customers tends to be all over the place - scattered across social media platforms, buried in the inbox of a customer service rep, stored as a mental note by a marketing professional - the list goes on and on. When that information isn’t consolidated, it’s challenging to obtain a clear understanding of your customers and develop a marketing strategy that accurately reflects their needs. CRMs solve this problem by pulling data from various marketing assets - including a company’s website, social media platforms, and email marketing system - and putting it in a single place. They also help companies make use of this data by providing features such as chat tools, marketing automation and contact management. In doing so, CRMs make it easier for businesses to track their leads and prospects as they move through the marketing funnel, from the first touchpoint to the sale. Why do you need a CRM system? Customer relationship management is one of the most important marketing trends today. Whether you’ve just launched your own business or have been in the industry for a while, you’ll know it’s time to adopt a CRM if: You have difficulty visualizing the relationship between the customer analytics data on your various platforms. You find it tedious to navigate between different platforms and spreadsheets to get a big-picture view of your customers. Your marketing and sales teams aren’t aligned in their targeting strategy and get slowed down by redundant tasks. You have a hard time retaining customers, or too many leads fail to convert. While you may start out managing your clients with a simple spreadsheet or email marketing tool, it becomes challenging to keep this data organized and cohesive as you acquire new customers. By creating a systematic record of customer data that’s easy to work with using integrated digital tools, a CRM system helps brands resonate more strongly with their target market. What are the benefits of using a CRM system? You can think of a CRM system as an all-in-one customer management solution that helps you generate leads while engaging your existing customer base. The benefits of implementing a CRM include: Improved analytics The massive amounts of data that businesses accumulate about their potential and existing customers is simply too large for the human mind to process alone. CRM data analytics tools not only consolidate this information, but also sort it to make it more readable and digestible for employees. Deeper understanding of customers A customer relationship management system aggregates the information about your leads and customers, storing information from separate sources in one place. This helps you create a targeted marketing strategy that addresses your customers’ pain points and aligns with their desires. Improved customer service By consolidating and sorting data, CRM systems also enhance your interactions with customers, improving the online reputation of your business. When engaging with sales and service representatives, clients won’t need to repeat their story over and over again because employees will already be up-to-date about their status and purchasing history. As a result, you’ll be able to address any customer concerns right away, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Increased sales In addition to organizing customer data, a CRM system syncs that information with digital tools such as email, chat and social media. As a result, marketing and sales teams will be better aligned and will be able to target customers’ needs depending on where they are in the sales pipeline. CRM tools boost conversions by streamlining the sales process to guide customers toward a purchase. Increased customer retention While customer acquisition is vital to company success, customer retention may be more so. In fact, studies have shown that increasing customer retention by 5% can lead to an increase in profits of between 25-95% . By improving customer communication and enabling service teams to more quickly and effectively address their needs, CRMs can help companies build a loyal customer base. Streamlined workflow Customer relationship management tools improve the efficiency of business operations by automating tasks like shopping cart abandonment emails and confirmation messages. This reduces repetitive work and frees up time for sales and marketing teams to focus on more strategic tasks. Better internal communication CRM systems facilitate collaboration between team members, reducing time-wasters like miscommunication and redundant tasks. In doing so, they improve time management, enhance productivity and allow for more frictionless project management. What are the types of CRM systems? Now that you know about the benefits of using a CRM, you’re probably curious to know which kind is best for your business. CRM tools can roughly be sorted into three main types: operational, analytical and collaborative. While each of them accomplishes similar tasks, they have their own unique features and advantages: Operational CRM An operational CRM uses marketing automation , sales automation and service automation to streamline business processes. Its primary purpose is to accomplish tasks that might otherwise take up large amounts of time. These include compiling important marketing analytics data, sending automated messages and keeping a record of sales and other customer behavior. Ascend by Wix is an effective solution for small businesses that incorporates these features into your website. The platform includes email marketing tools , live chat, marketing automation and more. Because Wix marketing tools can be integrated with your professional site (see Wix marketing integrations ), it’s helpful for managing clients, drawing in web traffic, and growing your customer base. Analytical CRM Analytical CRM systems prioritize data collection and analysis. They’re useful tools for analyzing data like customer preferences, contact information and more. Notably, they allow businesses to perform a complex analysis of multiple data sets - combining factors like customer location, and website behavior - in order to better identify buying patterns and trends. With a large database and data mining capabilities, this type of CRM is particularly useful for analysts who need a close-up view of customer characteristics and behavior. Collaborative CRM Like other types of customer relationship management systems, collaborative CRMs help companies gather and sort customer data for the purpose of improved customer management. Their structure, though, is specifically designed to improve synchronization between various teams. This type of CRM software shares customer information freely throughout the organization, increasing workplace transparency and productivity. It also helps teams identify which communication channels best suit the preferences of particular customer types, whether it’s email, live chat or social media marketing . Who is a CRM for? A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is designed to benefit a wide range of individuals and businesses across various industries. Here's a breakdown of who a CRM is for: Sales teams: Sales professionals are one of the primary beneficiaries of CRM systems. CRMs help sales teams manage leads, track interactions with prospects and customers, automate tasks and analyze sales performance. The centralized data allows sales reps to make informed decisions and improve their overall efficiency. Marketing teams: Marketing teams use CRMs to manage and analyze customer data, segment audiences and execute targeted marketing campaigns. By integrating CRM data, marketers can better understand customer behavior, personalize campaigns and optimize their strategies for lead generation and customer retention. Customer support: CRM systems provide customer support and service teams with a centralized platform to manage customer inquiries, track service requests and monitor customer interactions. This helps in providing more personalized and efficient customer service. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs): SMBs benefit from CRMs by streamlining their customer management processes. CRMs enable smaller businesses to organize customer data, automate routine tasks and improve communication with customers, leading to enhanced efficiency and customer satisfaction. Enterprise-level businesses: Larger enterprises use CRMs to manage vast amounts of customer data and streamline complex business processes. Enterprise-level CRMs often offer advanced features, scalability and customization options to meet the diverse needs of large organizations. Entrepreneurs and solopreneurs: Individuals running their own businesses, freelancers or solopreneurs can leverage CRMs to organize client information, track interactions and manage tasks more effectively. This helps in maintaining a professional and organized approach to customer relationships. Real estate professionals: Real estate agents use CRMs to manage client relationships, track property details and monitor the progress of deals. CRMs in this industry often include features specific to managing property listings, client preferences and transaction details. eCommerce businesses: eCommerce businesses utilize CRMs to track customer purchases, preferences and interactions. This information is valuable for targeted marketing, personalized recommendations and improving the overall customer shopping experience. Healthcare providers: In the healthcare industry, CRMs assist in managing patient relationships, appointments and communication. CRMs tailored for healthcare often include features for appointment scheduling, patient records and follow-up communications. Nonprofit organizations: Nonprofits use CRMs to manage donor relationships, track fundraising efforts and maintain communication with supporters. CRMs help nonprofit organizations streamline their operations and better understand their donor base.

It’s been over a month since we launched WixMobile (alpha) and we’re already back at the drawing board preparing the beta release. WixMobile beta will be launched in a matter of weeks and will include two main new features based on user feedback. These are: 1. change background and 2. change color – two features that will allow you to create your own unique mobile website designs! Meanwhile, while the new version is in development, we decided to add ten additional templates to the WixMobile collection. This is mainly because many of you asked for conservative visual templates that will easily match existing website designs. Well, your wish has been granted! Learn more about the importance of mobile-first design . Learn more about how to turn your website into an app . Explore other templates: Construction website templates Interior design website templates Lawyer website templates

In an era of polished social media feeds, a peculiar trend has emerged challenging everything we know to be "normal" and socially appropriate: cringe marketing. This counterintuitive approach to brand promotion is gaining speed, leaving many scratching their heads and others covering their eyes in secondhand embarrassment. But what exactly is “cringe,” and how has it become a powerful tool for marketers? “Cringe” might mean different things to different people, but according to my favorite crowd-source dictionary, Urban Dictionary , cringe is “when someone acts or is so embarrassing or awkward, it makes you feel extremely ashamed and/or embarrassed.” This phenomenon didn't come out of thin air. We can trace its roots back to the groundbreaking comedies of The Office  and Da Ali G Show , which pioneered the art of discomfort-as-entertainment. These shows paved the way for Tim Robinson and Nathan Fielder, who refined this cringe-inducing craft, elevating awkwardness to an art form. As society's appetite for cringe content has grown, savvy brands have noticed. They've recognized an opportunity to cut through the noise of traditional advertising and connect with audiences in a raw, authentic—and yes—sometimes painfully awkward way. Let's explore the psychology behind cringe, its effectiveness as a marketing strategy  and the potential perks and pitfalls of embracing the awkward. Looking to cut through the noise with an eye-catching business website ? Create a website with Wix. What is cringe marketing? Cringe marketing is a deliberate advertising strategy that uses discomfort to make products or services more memorable and relatable. Marketers use awkward, embarrassing scenarios that tap into common social anxieties to engage audiences in a unique way. This approach humanizes the brand and creates empathy with consumers. It's a way of saying, "We understand you," which can foster stronger emotional connections.  Using cringe-worthy content seeks to get strong responses from viewers, banking on the idea that any reaction is better than none; people are, in theory, more likely to remember experiences that evoke strong feelings, even negative ones. This can increase brand visibility, especially on social media where unhinged content spreads quickly (and yes, Nutter Butter , we’re looking at you). The difference between good and bad cringe While cringe marketing can be effective in creating buzz and memorability, it also carries risks. If not executed well, it can potentially damage your brand's reputation or alienate audiences. Let’s dive into when cringe might be welcomed versus unwanted. The good type of cringe  When done correctly, cringe marketing can be a powerful tool, especially when you consider the bombardment of content these days. There’s just too much of everything, and the way to stand out in today’s Attention Economy is to break through the noise.  One theory that can explain the popularity of cringe marketing is the “ Benign Violation Theory ” developed by Peter McGraw and Caleb Warren. Their research suggests that humor arises when something is simultaneously perceived as a violation (something wrong or inappropriate) but is also benign (not threatening). Cringe comedy often flirts with this boundary, as it places characters in situations that are socially "wrong," yet remain harmless to them or the audience. There’s not a ton of other research on cringe marketing, but since cringe comedy has been around for a while, we can lean on that.  Soren Krach, a psychiatry professor at the University of Lübeck in Germany co-authored a  paper about cringe comedy . In an  article in The Ringer  he writes, “You’re really suffering with the other person. You’re empathically sharing this awkward state, and it’s not really pleasant.” Meaning, we connect to the awkward situation of the characters in such a strong way that we feel the embarrassment along with them and participate in their discomfort. Melissa Dahl, author of Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness,  is quoted in the same article:  “It functions almost like a horror movie. You get to indulge in this fear, but then it’s OK. You aren’t actually experiencing it, but you have this simulation.” As strange as it sounds, the growing appeal of cringe comedies has to do with their unique ability to make us confront our shared human frailty and laugh at it in the process. Cringe comedy has also been seen as a reflection of a generational shift in humor, particularly appealing to millennials and Gen Z. The humor reflects an awareness of social expectations, an awkwardness in human interaction and sometimes an underlying critique of societal norms. Most of us spend a majority of our waking hours in front of a screen and have a pretty balanced and uninteresting life. This is probably the main reason why cringe works so well. We all just want to feel something; it doesn't matter if it’s joy, horror or complete discomfort. Other times, we may see a little piece of ourselves in—or at least feel the most empathy for—the awkward or socially inept anti-heroes we see on our screens.  Jason Levin, author of Memes Make Millions , says it nicely: “Is making money cringe? I don't think so. And on the internet, humor gets attention—and attention makes money. Wanna know what's cringe? Thinking of a funny, crazy idea that might help your brand go viral, but you're too scared of doing it because some anonymous troll on the internet might attack you and call you ‘cringe.’ Now that's cringe.” The bad type of cringe While cringe marketing can be an effective tool, it’s important to remember that there are situations where it's just simply not appropriate. One such scenario is when dealing with serious or sensitive topics.  For instance, using cringe tactics to market products related to health issues, social causes or financial services can backfire spectacularly. The discomfort created in these situations might overshadow the message, or worse, trivialize important matters.  Another situation where cringe marketing should be avoided is when your brand identity is built on professionalism, luxury or expertise. If you're a high-end fashion brand or a respected law firm, embracing awkwardness and discomfort in your marketing could seriously undermine your credibility. Your audience expects a certain level of sophistication and polish from your brand, and taking a turn into cringe territory might ruin your reputation.  At the end of the day, It's all about knowing your audience and staying true to your brand's essence. See examples of successful brand marketing in action. Four truths about cringe marketing As I’ve been mulling over the art of cringe marketing, I’ve come up with a few suggestions I’d like to share:  If you go cringe, you need to go all the way.   There's no point in trying cringe marketing without fully committing.  That way, even if your campaign tanks, you'll have earned your place in the Cringe Hall of Fame. Sometimes cringe happens by mistake.  Sometimes companies inadvertently create campaigns that come across as cringey. In these cases, it's often not worth dwelling on it too much. Everyone makes mistakes and it's often more embarrassing for the person who didn't mean to do it than for anyone else.   Cringe is not for every brand . Cringe marketing can be a risky strategy, and it's not the right type of marketing  for every brand. If a company is trying to appeal to a more sophisticated audience, then it's probably not the best idea to go for the cringey approach. Cringe is not for every channel . Just as cringe marketing is not for every brand, it's also not for every channel. Some channels are more serious in nature and don't lend themselves well to this type of content. Before deciding to produce cringey content, make sure it's appropriate for the channel you're planning to use. TikTok will be better than Instagram for example.   Related reading: Food marketing Jewelry marketing Gaming marketing 7 memorable examples of cringe marketing  After reading so many words about cringe marketing, you’re probably eager to experience it for yourself (or maybe you actually don’t). In any case, I curated a bunch of examples of campaigns from recent years. Although there’s a lot to say about them, we’ll skip that for today so you can just sit back, relax and cringe on. 01. Bodyform: “Never Just a Period” 02. Setapp: “Snake” 03. Snickers: “Unfiltered” 04. Reese’s Pieces: “Love Child” 05. Liquid Death: “Body By Bert” 06. Liquid Death: “Better than Back Sweat” Another Liquid Death example because the company has managed to take cringe to another level. 07. currys And here's one for the TikTok people out there.

Terrific news to all website owners – Wix is proud to introduce our brand new solution for Mobile! Starting today, a mobile version of your website will be automatically created, but the showstopper is our new Mobile customization features. From a smart new Mobile Editor, you will be able to change design, hide content, scale and move website features (including website under construction templates )– while leaving the full-size desktop version of your website unchanged. This is especially great when you consider how long it takes to build a website . What this means is that you can now have more creative freedom over your mobile design and give your users an enhanced mobile experience. So if you're looking to learn how to make a website or already have one that needs to go mobile, this is for you. Why You Should Optimize your Mobile Presence (and How to Do it) With nearly two-thirds of American cell phone owners browsing from smart devices, creating an optimized mobile presence is not a nice extra but an absolute necessity. The numbers don’t lie: mobile browsing has doubled itself since 2009, and the numbers just keep going up. Optimizing your HTML5 website to mobile devices guarantees that you will reach a much wider audience and provide prospects with easy access to your website, anytime, anywhere. Wix’ new mobile editor lets you adjust your site to mobile viewing with just a few clicks. Just follow these few simple steps when making your site : Go to your Wix account and open your website in the editor. On the top left corner, click on the mobile icon to go to the mobile editor. Customize and edit your site to optimize it for mobile formats. The changes you make will not affect your regular website! Go to the Mobile Settings tab and enable Optimized Mobile View. Click Preview to see how your site will look on a mobile device. Click Publish – and that’s it! You are mobile. Check out this nice video overview of the new mobile editor: For Those Who Already Have a Mobile Wix Site If you already had the opportunity to create a website with Wix that’s mobile, optimizing it is the best course of action for you to take. Why? Because when optimizing your old mobile website, both your mobile site and your desktop site come under a single URL , which means volumes in terms of SEO. Your website traffic will no longer be split between two sources but funneled into a strong, unified domain. This will help Google index and rank your site and will make sharing and linking to your content a lot easier. Having a single URL also takes a load off your shoulders – it turns maintenance of your mobile and desktop sites into a single easy task. When updating your Wix desktop website, your mobile site will be automatically updated. One less thing to worry about. In order to optimize your mobile website, log in to the Wix editor and click the mobile editor tab. There’s no need for you to recreate the site – the new mobile website is automatically created and is a reflection of your desktop site . All is left for you to do is to customize it according to your needs and hit Publish. Your mobile traffic will now be directed to this URL. This process is the same with a normal or vanity URL . For more info on the new Wix for Mobile, check out these FAQ’s . You can also turn your website into an app for even greater functionality.

Oh, the internet. A place you can kill time by watching an endless number of funny cat videos all day, buy virtually anything you want with just a click, or even learn how to create a website for free to call your own. It’s completely transformed our lives and has allowed us to create new, digital ones. When it comes to getting information and answers to questions, though it can be a bit of a gray area. What do you do? Simply ask Google and hope there’s a direct answer? Sift through search results? Scour similar questions on social networks to find an answer? And when you find one, how do you know it’s the correct one? If you find yourself in this predicament, which is a fairly common one, you should consider looking into a massive resource that can often-times get overlooked: Quora . Quora is an interesting site that feels part search engine and part social network, but its purpose is to both give you answers and allow you to answer questions for others in subjects you’re knowledgeable about. There’s quite a bit more to it than that, which is why we’re going to show you what exactly Quora is and how to use it right. What is Quora? In a few words, Quora is a questions and answers website. It was founded in 2009 by two ex-Facebook employees, and was actually almost called Quiver instead. Nonetheless, this Q&A website has seen tremendous growth since its inception, where it’s been quite aptly described as , "a more organized Yahoo Answers, a classier Reddit, [and] an opinionated Wikipedia” according to Vox’s Recode journalist, Theodore Schleier. In 2018, it was announced that Quora had achieved over 300 million active monthly users, showing that the site indeed has legs to run on. Is Quora a reliable source? The primary function of Quora works quite simply: You can search questions to get answers or provide answers to questions on the site. That said, the biggest concern about this type of crowd-sourced information is whether the information given is actually factual, or at least, completely correct. Luckily, many of these woes are eased due to the fact that industry experts often use Quora to provide answers. We’ll dive into that a bit further down. How to get started with Quora Now we’re going to show you the steps to setting yourself up for success with Quora: Sign up Fill out your profile Get to know your Quora feed Learn your question and answer post options Have fun with Quora Spaces Explore AI chatbot Poe Ask questions, post answers and thank Quora contributors 01. Sign up The first part is the easiest part: Signing up. How you decide to do that is up to you, but you’re given the choice of signing up with your Google account, your Facebook account, or foregoing them both in favor of a simple email sign up. Once you sign up, you’ll be presented with a screen that asks you to choose 10 topics that you’re interested in. The topics you choose will be used to generate your feed, which we’ll touch on below. The next step will ask you if you’d like to join Spaces groups, which again, we’ll cover later on. After that, you’ll be presented with your feed, which is where the real fun of Quora begins. But first, you have a little digital housekeeping to do. 02. Fill out your profile As with anything even moderately social on the internet, filling out your profile is a must. For Quora, since being a credible source for answers is very important, filling out your profile to the best of your ability is more crucial than compared to some other social networks online. The profile section of Quora provides you with an assortment of different sections to fill out. It starts with your profile photo and profile credential, the latter of which can be viewed as your primary industry or sector you have an expertise in or your job title. This will be shown prominently when anyone views your profile. Below this is a section you can add a brief description about yourself, as you’d expect in any profile. Furthermore, you can add links to your website and other social media channels in your bio section. Pro tip: You can use a link in bio tool such as Hopp by Wix to direct users towards specific online assets and simplify content sharing on your profile. On the right-hand side of the profile page, you’ll find two additional sections: one for adding information your employment, school, and location credentials, and another for adding topics that you know about. The latter section will allow you to search topics and it will display all of the topics with the keyword you searched to add to your profile. 03. Get to know your Quora feed Even if you end up spending a majority of your time elsewhere on Quora, the feed is one of the best places to find questions about topics you care about. In the beginning, your feed will only consist of topics that you previously selected when you first signed up, but you can, of course, add more. You can simply search for a topic in the search box at the top of Quora at any time, select it to open its page and click “follow.” It’s that simple. From then on, new and relevant questions from that topic will be added to your feed. The same goes for unfollowing a topic: just go to the page of the topic you’re following and click on the blue marked “follow” button. It will then turn white to indicate that it’s a page you’re not following anymore. It’s more than just your followed topics Your feed has a lot more to offer than just the topics you follow. It’s also a great place to discover other people on Quora, as well as Spaces to follow. In addition to these, you’ll also see suggested questions for you to answer, in which you can easily answer, pass, or follow each of them. You’ll be presented with questions that have already been answered, and you can then up vote, share, and comment on them. Furthermore, you can see a list of the topics you’ve followed on the left for quick access. Last but not least, at the very top of your feed you’ll find a super quick way to ask a question or share a link with others. Set Up Your Account If you’re brand new to Quora, the feed will also have an additional section on the right. It’s simply a list of tips to help you get the hang of using Quora. This section is called “Set Up Your Account” and has a small list of items that will be crossed out once achieved. The list entails the following: Visit your feed Follow 5 more spaces Follow 6 more topics Upvote 5 more good answers Ask your first question Add 3 credentials Answer a question If available, each “achievement” on the list will be linked so that you can begin to take action right then and there. 04. Learn your question and answer post options Getting answers to questions is basically the whole point of Quora, so it’s smart to get to know all of your options for the questions posed. First and foremost (and most obvious), you can answer a question. But, there’s a whole lot more you can do as well. In addition to answering the question, you can follow the individual question, despite what topic it resides in. You can also click the “request” option, which will allow you to search for someone with knowledge on the topic and request the selected person to answer the question. While the above options are the most prominent ways to interact with a question, you’re not limited to them. Here are some more options: Leave a comment Share on social networks or copy the link Answer later Follow the question privately Get notified about edits to the question Edit the question and source Edit topics Merge questions View stats and log them Report As you can see, there’s a lot you can do with questions. Of course, you likely won’t be using the bulleted options above for every question you come across unless you’re a Quora super user, but it’s good to know that there’s certainly more to do here than simply answering a question. Answers Unsurprisingly, answers are displayed directly below questions on Quora. Just like questions, answers have their own set of options, though a bit more on the simple side. Your job as a user is to find the most appropriate answer for a given question (if it’s not coming from you, that is) and upvoting it. Enough upvotes will change the placement of the answer, and the one with the most upvotes will be placed directly below the question and considered the best answer. For answers, the primary functions are to upvote, share (on Quora), comment, downvote, and share on social networks. Additional options are: Bookmark Promote Suggest edits Thank Log Report 05. Have fun with Quora Spaces On November 7th, 2018, Quora announced a new feature for the platform called Spaces. Quora referred to Spaces as, “collections and communities created around shared interests and tastes.” The introduction of the feature brings more of a community and social media vibe to the platform which makes it an excellent addition to your social media marketing efforts. Spaces are a bit like Reddit’s subreddit feature in that they offer a dedicated community space for a particular subject. Quora users can follow specific spaces to discover new questions and answers pertaining to the topic. Spaces can be particularly satisfying, as you’re a part of a community that’s also interested in the same topic and may ask questions you never thought about. Users that are following a Space can post relevant links to share with other followers, so it can be a source of news on the topic as well. The Spaces announcement post shared that spaces can be used in a variety of different ways, such as: A group of people can work together to curate the most interesting answers and links about a particular area of interest, such as Farm-to-Plate or SaaS Daily. An individual can use spaces to organize their own writing into different sections, as Robert Frost is doing with his collection of his Space Exploration answers, Mac Tan with his posts on the US Midterm Election, and Salon with their Culture and Politics articles. A community of people can create a space to have shared conversations with each other, like Science Lounge or Defense Quorum. 06. Explore AI chatbot Poe In February 2023, Quora opened up public access to AI chatbot Poe , which is built on top of several generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude. To use it, you open the app and select a bot to chat with. When you ask it questions, it generates responses based on its knowledge and understanding of the world. With around a million monthly active users on mobile apps , people use it to brainstorm ideas, get help with research or just to have a conversation. Poe introduced a number of new features in July 2023, including a larger context window for better responses, support for URL retrieval/document upload and the ability to continue other users' public conversations. 07. Ask questions, post answers and thank Quora contributors Much like a Reese’s , there’s no wrong way to use Quora, but there are ways to underutilize it. If you simply use it to search for the answers to questions people have already asked, it’s hard to see the harm in that. Still, asking questions is what makes Quora what it is, so do yourself and others a favorite and get to asking those hard-hitting questions. Quora also didn’t become what it is today by being a platform full of unanswered questions. Finding answers to questions is likely how many people unaware of what Quora even was found it. If you’re looking to take advantage of the site’s capabilities, you’re going to need to give back a little and answer questions. Plus, sharing your expertise on a subject you're knowledgeable and passionate about should boost your mood. Not to mention, the more questions you answer, the more you can build a reputation for being the expert that you are. A parting tip for using Quora is the be thankful to the users that provide informative, well-written answers. If you see an answer that’s factual and offers an insight that the current top answer lacks, be sure to upvote it and thank the user. What is Quora FAQ What is Quora mainly used for? Quora is mainly used as a question-and-answer website. Users can ask questions on a wide range of topics, and other users can answer them. The answers are then voted on by the community, with the most helpful and informative answers rising to the top. Quora is also used as a platform for sharing knowledge and learning. Users can find answers to their questions, learn about new topics and connect with experts in their field. Is Quora a trusted site? Quora is generally considered to be a trusted site. The content is generated by the community, so there is a lot of diversity and variety. However, it's important to be aware that not all of the information on Quora is accurate. It's always a good idea to verify information before using it. What's the difference between Quora vs. Reddit? Quora and Reddit are both question-and-answer websites, but they have some key differences. Quora is more focused on providing high-quality, informative answers, while Reddit is more focused on discussion and debate. Quora also has a more professional tone, while Reddit is more casual.

Bring your inspiration to life with a Wix website →   The rumors are true! We recently launched  Wix Artificial Design Intelligence , a revolutionary new website builder experience that pairs the magic of AI  with the beautiful design capabilities that Wix has become synonymous with, to create the perfect website for your business. Just by answering a few short questions, the Wix AI website generator supplies you with a ready-made website complete with unique text, stunning images and robust online elements that are tailor-made for your business’s needs. Launched in 2016, Wix ADI has already been put to the test again and again, building beautiful and unique websites from scratch for our users in less time than it takes to finish a cup of coffee. With no other web platform matching this technology feat, it’s no wonder that so many people are excited to try Wix ADI as they plan how to make a website .  Below are 5 examples of websites that were made with the magic of Wix Artifical Design Intelligence and its web development prowess. Need inspiration for your website? With Wix, building a standout site is easier than ever. Choose from hundreds of customizable templates and use Wix’s easy drag-and-drop website builder  tools to make your vision come to life. Turn your ideas into reality and see just how simple it is to create a unique, professional website. 5 best websites build with AI The Scratching Post Hotel Adam's Construction Group Chingon Sunglasses store The HK Trading Group Prep n’ Ship UK – Shipping Services 01. The Scratching Post Hotel The Scratching Post Hotel was built with a playful long scroll and captures our hearts with the most adorable kittens. Not only is it easy to navigate, the addition of the  Wix Bookings app makes it incredibly simple for clients to make reservations directly on this website. 02. Adam’s Construction Group Much like building a house, Wix ADI curates content to create unique designs from the ground up. This construction site features awesome full-width strips  and a service gallery that are perfectly aggregated to fit the nature of their business. As always, you can change anything to your own custom specification. Whether it’s images, patterns, colors, fonts, buttons or adding your own video, you can do it all with ease and get a seriously stunning result. 03. Chingon Sunglasses Store We know you have amazing products to sell, that’s why we designed Wix ADI to build a beautiful online store to fit your killer style. This sunglasses business uses a fresh design that combines high-resolution images with a simple yet sleek layout with smooth effects. Their stunning mobile eCommerce website  reaches a whole audience of shoppers on-the-go. 04. The HK Trading Group HK Trading group showcases their work with  impressive full-width parallax scrolling  and bold slides that are ready to be customized with a large roster of striking elements. For a company bolstering professionalism, you deserve a website to match. 05. Prep n’ Ship UK – Shipping Services As a shipping company, maintaining thorough communication with customers is paramount for this business. Wix ADI understands your business’s needs and tailors a website specifically for you with simple contact forms so visitors can reach you directly. With Wix email marketing tool  you can also send and share beautiful emails, newsletters, and updates directly from your Wix account.

Conversion-rate-optimization (CRO) literature is full of outdated practices and myths. To help clients focus on customer growth, they need updated information on what CRO can accomplish. Here are four effective CRO techniques that you can execute to maximize the potential of your website's conversions as part of your wider marketing strategies . Tip: How to create a landing page that converts How to win at conversion rate optimization Adopt multiple testing methods to gain more insights Maintain your best performing pages Test beyond the standard two-week cycle Test your CRO and be open to experimentation 01. Adopt multiple testing methods to gain more insights A/B testing provides immediate comparison and results, which is useful for specific verticals like email and social media. But for your website, there are additional methods for gaining insight into customers’ behaviors throughout the customer journey. When you dive deeper into your Google Analytics or create a heat map for a landing page, you gain a better understanding of what draws them to the website or what catches their attention. Here are a few methods to enhance your A/B testing: Multivariate testing: Unlike A/B testing, multivariate testing takes many theories your clients have and tests all of them at once. Think about changing a CTA button’s color, placement, and message: Have two color variations, two placements, and three phrases, and you end up with 12 versions to test. This type of testing offers even quicker results on how each combination performs and impacts conversions. Usability testing: When you set up a new funnel or task, conduct user tests to see how they navigate the website to get to your calls to action. Have first-time visitors gauge what the user experience is like since seasoned customers know how to work through the website to get to their goal. Make sure that you record each test, and note any challenges or roadblocks they encounter. Surveys: Research allows you to craft user personas for your clients, which are particularly helpful if they haven’t updated theirs in a few years or have lost sight of opportunities to capture another part of the market. Get direct feedback from their customers by creating a pop-up or email survey to gather information (bonus if there is an incentive to convince users to provide their feedback). A/B testing is great for observable differences, but it requires additional research that will allow you to have more options to work with for future testing. 02. Maintain your best performing pages Everyone hesitates to touch a page that performs. But that’s no reason to leave pages as they are. Showing how you continuously improve CRO with updates is crucial to growing any business. Google updates their core algorithm at least every year, if not several times in a year. Leading from this example, we should be informing clients to update top-performing pages at least once a year to keep customer conversion high on those pages. These updates shouldn’t focus just on SEO optimization, but should consider how the page leads both potential and new customers through your client’s funnel. Here are a couple of ways you can optimize CRO on top performing pages: Design, design, design Aside from copy changes, consider a design refresh that allows you to change elements of your CTAs. Marketing SaaS company DashThis was successful at getting people to sign up for a free trial of the company’s software but noticed that many users abandoned the trial. Users complained that they were not able to quickly connect their marketing data. Using Hotjar, DashThis’s UX team modified the location and sizes of the buttons and added a search bar to help users quickly figure out a solution. These CRO changes resulted in increasing DashThis’s onboarding process by 50% . Dangling the carrot You can also implement CRO efforts that provide incentives as an extra push to convert, for example, integrating a pop-up for first-time visitors to receive a discount in exchange for their email address. Another CRO push: testing the placement of any special offers alongside CTAs, such as listing details about the special offer next to the “Buy” button. Multimedia content creation company Avid did when they A/B tested details about their bonus offer via a banner versus bullet points on their Media Composer software product page. They realized t he banner outperformed the bullet points by 34% , which led them to test another promotional sticky banner on their homepage, blog, and shopping site that saw a 15% conversion rate on the site. 03. Test beyond the standard two-week cycle Digital experimentation expert Chad Sanderson notes that large companies like Google and Facebook set the standard CRO test time of two weeks based on customer behavior . Instead, you need to test for a full customer cycle to get the most information from your strategy and to achieve any kind of statistical significance. According to Sanderson, large companies with a daily base of millions of users can work within a two-week test window because customers’ website and search habits are consistent week to week. This cyclical behavior is a big indicator for clients to understand their full customer cycle. Customer cycles vary per industry, so whether it’s less than two weeks or more than two months, knowing the customer cycle allows you to conduct experiments based on data versus what bigger companies are capable of doing with more daily traffic. Remember to note any testing that may occur during the holidays or annual sales, because that impacts the typical customer cycle: customers convert quickly to take advantage of special offers — but they may not return until the next incentive. 04. Test your CRO and be open to experimentation When you limit your views on what CRO looks like and how to conduct it, your clients miss opportunities to gather information that will make their businesses grow. The trick? Test your CRO methods and be open to experiment to get the most from your website, and win more business in the long run. Tip: Improve your website's conversion rate

As the owner of a fitness business, it might just be the best time to step up your game for the New Year. You have all the power to create a fitness website and push your fitness business forward by motivating your loyal members and inspiring new clients. To get started, use this business and marketing checklist below to ride the momentum of 2020 fitness goals. Follow the tips here or download the PDF version to print and check off. December 2-8: Shape up Your Fitness Site & App Update Your Class Schedule: Add new classes and descriptions. Refresh your schedule for the year ahead. Accept Payments: Choose a payment provider for online and offline payments. Manage all transactions from your Wix dashboard. Set up Paid Plans: Let clients purchase a class package or membership with Paid Plans. Turn on Waitlists: Offer waitlists to fill every class. Clients will get notified right when a spot opens up. Add Workshops: Empower clients to strengthen their workouts. Run workshops that focus on specific skills or meditation. Sell Your Workout Videos: Upload instructional videos to your site. Stream, rent or offer video subscriptions to clients. Sell Your Own Gear: Add an online store with fitness products. To promote your business, create and sell branded apparel. Invite Clients to Your Custom Mobile App: Let clients book and pay for classes, chat with community members, and get updates with Spaces by Wix. All you need to do is send them an invite to download the app and become members of your unique mobile space. December 9-16: Manage Your Workflow Add Your Hours: Choose default work hours or list separate hours for each staff member. Sync Your Calendars: Connect your schedule with your staff’s Google calendars and keep everyone updated. Set Roles and Permissions: Give your staff roles on your site so they can help manage your business. Manage Your Business on Mobile: Use the Wix Mobile App to track session attendance, chat with clients and review member profiles. Add a Call Button: Make it simple for clients to call you from your site. Display clickable text, like your business phone number or “Call Now.” Create Automated Emails: Check in with new clients and members you haven’t seen in a while. Remind members before their plans expire. Forward Facebook Messages: Interact with your clients in one central place by connecting your Wix Inbox to your Facebook page. Get Insights about Your Visitors: Add marketing tools, like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel, to learn more about your site visitors. Track Your Success: Keep an eye on analytics for your site traffic, client attendance and finances. December 17-24: Prep Your Marketing Plan Get Found on Google: Use a step-by-step SEO plan to drive traffic to your fitness site. Create Promo Videos: Showcase your business with instant promo videos. Share them on your site and social channels. Grow Your Mailing List: To collect email addresses from your site visitors, add a subscription form. Follow up with offers and promos. Add Wix Chat: Use live chat to help clients choose the right class. Send them direct links to the classes you recommend. Get in the Holiday Spirit: Design your site for the holidays and feature holiday workout playlists. January 1-10: Connect with Your Clients Offer a Coupon: Create a deal to bring in first-time clients and reward loyal members. Send Marketing Emails: Promote your fitness sessions and give expert health tips for the new year. Post on Social: Schedule posts linking to your fitness site. Include motivational quotes, videos and testimonials. Motivate Your Members: Check in with clients through chat or email. Help them stick to their fitness goals in January and beyond. Create a Community: Encourage members to connect with each other using the Wix Mobile App with forum, chat and more. Looking to grow your nutrition practice online? Check out how to create a nutritionist website for a complete guide to building the perfect site.